Former NHL player and former Ottawa Senators general manager Mel Bridgman has passed away at the age of 70. The NHL Alumni Association confirmed his death over the weekend without disclosing the cause. Bridgman was selected as the first overall pick in the 1975 NHL draft by the Philadelphia Flyers, where he played for over six seasons. He later moved to the Calgary Flames in the 1981-82 season, achieving a career-high 33 goals and 54 assists in 72 games. Following his time with the Flames, he joined the New Jersey Devils for three-plus seasons before being traded to the Detroit Red Wings in 1986-87. Bridgman concluded his hockey career with the Vancouver Canucks in the 1988-89 season. The Ontario-born player accumulated a total of 701 points, including 252 goals and 449 assists, over 977 regular-season games. In 1991, Bridgman became the inaugural general manager of the newly established Senators, a position he held until 1993.